Published : 06 Apr 2026, 10:31 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 03:34 PM
A four-month-old infant exhibiting symptoms of measles has died while undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital (SOMCH), marking the first such death in the district amid a recent spike in infections.
The infant, who was suffering from bronchopneumonia and a lung infection, died of cardiac arrest around 1pm on Monday, according to the hospital’s Deputy Director Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman.
"The child died with measles symptoms. We will be able to confirm whether it was a confirmed case of measles once the laboratory test results are available," Mahbubur said.
The infant was initially admitted to Sylhet Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital but was later transferred to SOMCH as he required a bed at the intensive care unit (ICU), a facility unavailable at the previous hospital.
In response to the rising number of cases, SOMCH has launched a dedicated 10-bed isolation unit.
Brig Gen Umar Rashed Munir, the hospital’s director, said: "The isolation unit will help control the infection and ensure the safety of other patients. Doctors and nurses have been specially assigned for intensive monitoring."
As of Monday afternoon, 71 patients with measles symptoms were admitted across three wards at Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital, the hospital authorities say.
A separate 20-bed isolation centre has also been operational there since Mar 26.
